Debt - Summary (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt
Total	$ 2,019.3	$ 2,214.2
Less: unamortized discount and debt issuance costs	(9.1)	(10.5)
Less: amounts due within one year and short-term borrowings	(65.3)	(65.2)
Total long-term debt	1,944.9	2,138.5
Unsecured revolving credit facility due September 30, 2021
Debt
Total	760.0	925.0
Unsecured term loan due from September 30, 2019 to September 30, 2021
Debt
Total	495.0	525.0
Senior unsecured notes due April 15, 2023
Debt
Total	500.0	500.0
Senior unsecured notes due November 15, 2036
Debt
Total	250.0	250.0
Other notes and revolving credit facilities
Debt
Total	$ 14.3	$ 14.2

The current portion of long term debt and total short term debt.

No definition available.

Name:	rs_LongTermDebtCurrentAndShortTermDebt
Namespace Prefix:	rs_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unamortized debt discount (premium) and debt issuance costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109500613&loc=SL6031897-161870

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28555-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscountPremiumAndDebtIssuanceCostsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the aggregate of total long-term debt, including current maturities and short-term debt.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtLongtermAndShorttermCombinedAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs of long-term debt classified as noncurrent and excluding amounts to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=rs_UnsecuredRevolvingCreditFacilityDueSeptember2021Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=rs_UnsecuredTermLoanDueSeptember2021Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=rs_SeniorUnsecuredNotesDue2023Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=rs_SeniorUnsecuredNotesDueNovember2036Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=rs_OtherNotesAndRevolvingCreditFacilitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: